Makes me first go Hmmm, and then Smile

Today is World Water Day. I know there is practically now a day for every food, world issue and person, but this one is pretty important. (the international observance of World Water Day apparently grew out of a UN Conference on Environment and Development in 1992). Efforts to provide clean drinking water to those in developing countries has always been something Aaron and I have felt strongly about supporting, but through a friend of a friend of a friend's blog that we now read (I am sure Aaron could write a philosophical post on 'blogging communities' and what they mean for society another day) we have started supporting the efforts of The Adventure Project, so below is their current project.

Problem: One third of all handpumps installed in the last twenty years in developing countries are now broken. And 4,000 children die every day because of lack of clean drinking water. We feel that’s unacceptable. So we’re thinking differently.
Solution: Instead of drilling more wells, we’re using our charitable gifts for something revolutionary – to train and employ handpump mechanics. The mechanics earn an income, bringing themselves out of poverty, and they save lives – turning water back on for thousands of people each year.

Our Revolution: Our goal is to find fifty 100 bloggers like us to join our blog-a-thon this Tuesday, and ask ten of their readers donate $20 to The Adventure Project’s Keep It Clean Campaign. There are currently 144 blogs signed up, ours makes 145! Join us in their goal!!! And if the goal of $10,000 is reached the money will be matched by the The Prem Rawat Foundation!

www.TheAdventureProject.causevox.com Click this link to donate or find out more (or use the widget to the at the top right!)!

We would love it if you would click on the link above to donate toward the Keep It Clean Campaign. Even if you don't want to donate I encourage you to at least go learn more about it, because it is pretty awesome!


And even if you don't click on the link, I hope that the issue of clean water makes you initially go "Hmmmm" and think about how awful it is that lack of clean water takes so many lives each day and the efforts to get clean water consume so much much time or those that have a well that once helped save lives no longer functions. But after that initial pause I hope the thought of World Water Day does make you smile because there are so many organizations out there making a difference. And smile and be thankful that you can walk in the next room and turn on a faucet. And then smile and think of ways that you can make a difference :)

Things to Smile About and then make you go Hmmmm....

Days off always make me a smile a little more often, and today was one of those days :) Here are a few things I saw or thought of that made me smile (and then stop and think a little more)

-The dog on a walk today that I saw while running that was wearing sun glasses, or maybe they were glasses to cure his farsightedness???, either way, initially smiled and then thought, who in the world puts glasses on their dog?

- Armadillos (have always had a weird fascination with them ever since my Uncle gave me armadillo slippers when I was 5 for being a flower girl in his wedding, or maybe it was a birthday or Christmas present but either way they were pretty cool. On vacation a few weeks ago we saw live ones while camping near San Antonio and I got REALLY excited)

They do however make me pause to think about their strange shells and tails, and how most people have only seen them as roadkill rather than alive

- Pool chairs being put out at the condo complex pool today (but ask me again in a few months if this makes me smile, and my answer will probably be NO!)

- My husband becoming published!
HERE!

And for those who can't read the small print it says, "Aaron Franzen
Faith, Politics, and Power: The Politics of Faith-Based Initiatives
Sociology of Religion (2011) 72(1): 119-121 first published online February 14, 2011". It is a book review that he wrote. Very proud of him!!!

- And the last one will have to published in another blog, as it deserves its own post

(I think the formatting is going to get messed up when this is posted, but can't figure out how to fix it...)

It's a Miracle!

A friend of ours gave us these pills. Told it they are awesome. One for each of us. Last weekend we had some time, and so we thought we would give them a whirl. You know, see what would happen.

They are Miracle Berry Pills, and are supposed to be made of the Synsepalum Dulcificum berry, known as the miracle berry, which increases the perceived sweetness of food. Apparently this has been around for a long time. Anyway, you put the pill in your mouth and let it dissolve. Then you eat something, we did citrus fruit, and it will taste much sweeter. It actually worked. The lemons actually tasted like I was eating lemonade, the grapefruit was really good, and the lime was good, too. I think by the time I got to the limes it was starting to wear off a little bit and it was still a bit sour, but good. If you see them around, you should but them and try 'em. Actually, you may need to get them on the internet. From somewhere in Asia. Or something.

From Photostream

Infinite Jest and life's groove

I have started to read Infinite Jest, by David Foster Wallace. We have had an interesting start. When I am reading or thinking about something, there can be a tendency to see it in everything else I read or think about. One part of the book did just that...

At one point, there is this terrorist figure and a secret agent type guy having a conversation. They are talking about some guy who wouldn't think twice about dying for some other person. The terrorist begins to talk about how the word fanatic comes from Latin meaning 'temple;' literally, 'to worship at the temple.' He then goes on to say that we are all fanatics about something and we must choose very wisely what we will be fanatical about, saying, "but choose with care. You are what you love... All other of our you say free choices follow from this: what is our temple." To do otherwise, he thinks, is to be the worst kind of slave: the slave who believes they are free. All follow; some are free in their following.

This is something that we also see in social science. People do follow what they revere. If that job is important, we will see the remnants of that job in non-job related aspects of their life. Money? Same. God? Same. Rarely is it clear cut, however. Usually some is money, some is family, and some is God. With limited resources to 'pay out' to these 'temples,' the visits to any given 'temple' decreases with plurality. God gets less because the job gets some, and so on. So, going back to fanaticism, from what are all other choices flowing?

We are reading The Story right now at church. It is the Bible that reads like a story or a narrative, as it is edited, chronologically, to do so. Recently we read:
"A spirit of prostitution is in their heart; they do not acknowledge the Lord.
They are unfaithful to the Lord; they give birth to illegitimate children."

Failing to choose, and stick with, a temple carefully is in a sense to prostitute out for lesser pay what should be God's. Failing to choose temples wisely and blithely play in the playground of plurality leads to something, and it is not the 'child' of faith, or belief, or living in one's groove as Bonhoeffer would put it. He is the temple to which we turn, directing our life and decisions away from the illegitimate children of brokenness and all its glory.

Dusty Philosophy

What happens when you philosophize in the kitchen?  You end up a casualty of Sara's frequently indiscriminate messy cooking.  Poor Hegel and Nietzsche are now an example to us all (if, to the keen eye, that looks like brownie mix, then you win and have found Waldo).  And yes, we do have philosopher refrigerator magnets/finger puppets, thanks to Sister-in-law and Co.

From Photostream

Fruition

Today is one of those days when my head is reeling with so much excitement I want to dance around in circles, but also thoughts of inadequacy that all I ever do is dance with excitement but never actually put that excitement into action. I'm part of a grant proposal for our residency program to enhance our advocacy training as residents (ie, teach us how to better advocate for children in our communities, politically and through everyday practice as a doctor through establishing and partnering with community programs, lobbying, etc). I have been working with a couple other like-minded residents and attending physicians who are very inspiring and came away from a meeting today just full of thoughts. But I feel like often on these topics I get so excited, but don't have the tools and skills to make any of the thoughts I have come to fruition. Hopefully by being surrounded by people with much more experience than I things may actually happen.

On a different note, here are the curtains I made a week or two back when I made myself stay up till the wee hours of the morn to stay on a night schedule during ER. I got kinda ambitious and when buying the fabric from the ties bought fabric and a pattern to make linen pants and a skirt...we'll see when they actually get made...maybe on the next rotation where I need to stay up most of the night!

My standardized tests

Measuring what, if anything, students have learned is rough. Almost painful even. There is really no win for the teacher. If you have them write papers, you have to read them. If you do short answer exams you have to read them and decide whether or not their fringe answer is close enough. If you do multiple choice/scantron exams you have to write the questions – which is worse than I would have thought.

BUT, you have more creative license when writing them – especially if every now and then you want to put a give-away answer in there. Here are a few for an exam coming up:

1. The mechanism that Durkheim describes as constructing the beliefs and bonds of a given group is:
     e. Positive reinforcement in the form of limited distribution of chocolate.

2. Mr. Stroope pointed out that Hindu characteristics, beliefs, and actions are pervasive in India and that as a result:
     e. It is easy for McDonalds to blend in and sell hamburgers as long as a picture of Ganesha is present.

3. Central to the spread and success of the Reformation was:.
     c. Better farming practices that allowed more free time for reflection.
     e. People had always known there was something unlikable about the Catholic Church.

4. A schism, pertaining to religious bodies, is when:
     b. Cracks are found in the church’s foundation.
     e. A denomination stops using one Bible translation and begins using another.

It looks like I run out of 'could be true' answers towards the end of questions (most of those are the 'e' option...).  Also, I suppose I could actually defend some of those somewhat.  Ehhh, I hold the answer key and that is that.

The joys and sorrows of days off

Currently killing some time before I can go bed - and for anyone who knows me well sitting down to watch a movie or read will just turn into an earlier bed time. Worked a night shift last night, have tonight off, and then have clinic tomorrow starting at 1 pm followed by a night shift....so trying to stay up a few more hours so I can sleep in a little longer tomorrow to make the night quite as bad. I do love days off, but not knowing whether to flip my body back to a day or night shift is hard. And I'm pretty sure tomorrow in the ER is going to be BUSY! Last night was completely dead. At 3 am there were 2 patients in the whole ER. That is unheard of in the winter - normally by then you are starting to get caught up so the wait is only 1 hour instead of 2. It has been crazy cold and icy here, so no one apparently left their house - not complaining though, great to have a more relaxing night, but I am afraid that once the ice thaws a little more tomorrow people might come out in herds!

I pulled out my fleece lined jeans to go grocery shopping today and was still cold. Dallas is not supposed to have windchills in the single digits. A lot better than most of the country though I guess. Started sewing curtains today too...if they turn out ok i'll put up a picture in a few weeks when they are done. Thank goodness for google - i have been having to look up all the sewing terms as I am quite the novice. I never have been gifted with much craftiness but hopefully I can at least make curtains!

Here are a couple pictures for fun from the past months

Crabbing in the Puget Sound with my sister (excuse the rain gear, it was little rainy and cold)

Visiting our neice and nephew in Arizona last weekend.
Aaron and Lucy and me and Sam (I think we need to get the kids some sunglasses!)

complimentarian

The other day I went for a short run.  It has been a while, and I died.  I got to thinking about the fact that I have a fairly low tolerance for pain as I walked part of the run.   This relates also to normal work.  I have a low tolerance for pain in the form of studying, too.  This is why I will often take frequent breaks - especially when I am bored or tired of what I am doing.  But luckily I also seem to have a fairly high tolerance for stress.  This helps to balance out my low tolerance for pain when deadlines are only a few hours away (yep, today is one of those days!). 

But then last night, as 1:30 AM rolled around and my eyes were tired and burning, I asked myself whether or not it was a bad idea to be trying to finish the edits on the MA thesis and if I should stop until morning...

I decided no.

Because I am hardcore like that.